Hemijourney Posted May 31, 2021 Report Share Posted May 31, 2021 Hey guys I’m new to the forum and I’m wondering if anyone here has tried tackling a hemi swap? I’m going to do some measurements tonight but I don’t think it’ll be that hard of a task worse case scenario I’ll drop an ls like i did to my mustang?. I’m thinking about getting an old cop car Dodge Charger with a 5.7 awd and installing the engine trans awd system and ecu wiring harness etc etc to the journey. Obviously I’d have to upgrade all the suspension components reinforce the frame get stronger shocks and axles a custom driveshaft for the rear wheels and brakes. If the cutting isn’t to invasive I’ll start working on this project and let you guys now every piece of info I find out along my “journey” . 2late4u 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkeaton Posted June 1, 2021 Report Share Posted June 1, 2021 Good luck and post pictures. Everyone wants to do this until you realize the unibody would need dto be basically cut in half longways to fit a RWD drivetrain underneath. But, good luck.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John/Horace Posted June 1, 2021 Report Share Posted June 1, 2021 (edited) Sounds like a great project. You would need some serious plasma cutter and MIG welding fabrication skillls to pull this off to be street legal. Would the MTO require an inspection and recertification for this extensive a make over; like they do with written off car accident vehicles, I wonder. Would be a blast to drive if you can do it. Edited June 1, 2021 by John/Horace jkeaton 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hemijourney Posted June 2, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2021 Honestly I wouldn’t tell mto or anyone about it. I’d install it and act like it was already there. I’ve done a few crazy engine swaps before I’ve put a twin turbo 6.0l ls in a old Lexus IS 400 and used it as a drift car. I don’t mind cutting the frame or firewall too fit the transmission if that’s what it takes. I know everything will have to be changed and upgraded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hemijourney Posted June 2, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2021 Here’s a quick list I got so far. hemi 5.7 out of a Dodge Charger with awd system complete wiring harness for the charger Charger unlocked flashed ecu and tune custom made driveshaft and cv axles charger rear end Airbag system so the suspension can hold the added weight and be able to be lowered for track use much much wider tires and rims fuel lines and pump from charger brembo brakes borla header back I have access to cutter torches hoists and a bunch of insane mechanics so this might not be a problem. I know I missing many more thing but I’ll go more into detail as I go along with the project OhareFred, deejizzle and 2late4u 1 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkeaton Posted June 3, 2021 Report Share Posted June 3, 2021 I can't wait for this. OhareFred and 2late4u 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NavalLacrosse Posted June 3, 2021 Report Share Posted June 3, 2021 Please make a youtube channel where you just do crazy mechanics stuff. It might pay for itself (or offset some costs) with ad revenue. Sounds fun, and don't let the debbie-downers like myself talk to you out of it. Outside of the obvious difficult things, like making a new transmission tunnels ( solved with lots of cutting and creative liberties while welding it back together...)... the DJ Pentastar is Transversely mounted, and the Engine bay isn't very deep. I know it's deeper than some minivans, but I'd be curious how the 5.7 would fit seeing as from the outside it appears the DJ's engine bay is about 6" shorter than the Charger. BUT these are the issues which cause no one to take on such a challenge. BE creative and prove me wrong.. Can't wait to see progress! OhareFred and jkeaton 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deejizzle Posted June 4, 2021 Report Share Posted June 4, 2021 jkeaton 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John/Horace Posted June 4, 2021 Report Share Posted June 4, 2021 Although there is no replacement for displacement, as the saying goes. Jamming turbos on the 6 would be an easier compromise. The 6 speed auto tranny would have to be beefed up substantially. No V8 exhaust note....would be disappointing. My Ram has the fun 5.7 hemi in it. jkeaton 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NavalLacrosse Posted June 8, 2021 Report Share Posted June 8, 2021 (edited) There is a Supercharger mod for the PentaStar 3.6 on the charger/challenger which costs 6-8K after install and tune... It probably won't fit in the Journey's engine bay, and routing the pulleys would be impossible given how small the space there is to work with on the Pass-side of the engine. It'd also certainly cause issues in the existing drivetrain. You don't see them often in the wild as the v8 engine costs the same as the v6 supercharger upgrade, and the v6 upgrade certainly will cause more problems than it's worth. Edited June 8, 2021 by NavalLacrosse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John/Horace Posted June 9, 2021 Report Share Posted June 9, 2021 Yeah I agree, it’s zoom zoom and then boom boom eventually with turbos. Having swapped a water pump in a 3.6 Journey...yeah there’s no room there for anything with the transverse mount engine. The weight of the V8 will be a challenge. The subframe customization even more so. This whole project is more effort than it’s worth. Unless it’s a bucket list item. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moparman187 Posted December 27, 2021 Report Share Posted December 27, 2021 (edited) Wouldn’t the rear from the rt work ?? Or maybe just start off with an rt and have someone make a trans adapter to work with the rwd setup already there ?? Edited December 27, 2021 by Moparman187 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkeaton Posted January 4, 2022 Report Share Posted January 4, 2022 On 12/27/2021 at 1:35 PM, Moparman187 said: Wouldn’t the rear from the rt work ?? Or maybe just start off with an rt and have someone make a trans adapter to work with the rwd setup already there ?? He must not have followed through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NavalLacrosse Posted January 4, 2022 Report Share Posted January 4, 2022 (edited) Probably got the hemi engine donor car, looked at it, then looked at the journey, then back at the charger... then just repaired the charger and sold the Journey for tire money for the v8 sedan. Edited January 4, 2022 by NavalLacrosse jkeaton and Locosiete 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkeaton Posted February 4, 2022 Report Share Posted February 4, 2022 @Hemijourney, any luck?? John/Horace 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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